Beginning Part III of the campaign
Theme: The Doctrine of Christ
Type: Sandbox hexmap
Time for us to complete: 22 game sessions.
Date in Real Life: Sunday February 13th, 2022
In Game Day: Shta’im the 26th, Shalosh the 27th, and Arba the 28th of Yuwol.
Player Characters:
Philip the Raid Leader (commanding his fourth mission), riding Johny the horse,
Starflower the Lion Warrior (with Regulus the Lion), riding Alogo the horse,
William the Bear Knight (with Bill the Bear and Arled the horse)
Edward the Knight of the Way (2nd mission as Knight of the Way), riding Edmur the horse.
Cenbald the Potential (NPC), on his 2nd mission.
Milda the Potential (NPC), with Cyna the badger. On her 2nd mission.
Shta’im the 26th
The team decides to return to the giant’s castle, in order to retrieve weapons and war trophies. (Cenbald doesn’t want to enter cave. Starflower stays with him, along with Bill and Regulus.) William climbs cliff face. Finds weapons. Breaks off Crystal Dragon’s claws with rocks.
As they turned to go, they were surprised to see someone standing between them and the cavern entrance. It was Lexcom, the sorcerer.
Lexcom had an arm in a sling, while his other arm held his staff. He was staring at them.
Edward couldn’t read the sorcerer’s expression. What was the man thinking? Was he about to attack them? He didn’t seem to be doing anything. His stance was non-threatening.
Lexcom looked at them. His eyes drifted towards the crystal dragon claws that they were holding. He looked up at the ridge where Krokerdes’ body lay, then slowly turned his head back to them. “You did this.” It was a statement, not a question.
“The Rescuer did this,” Philip corrected. “But he used us, yes.”
Lexcom looked back up at the ridge for several moments.
Edward fidgeted back and forth on his feet. Was Lexcom going to fight them? Was he angry? He wasn’t acting angry.
Philip spurred his mount forward. Lexcom held out his staff in warning, his eyes still looking up at the ridge. Philip stopped. “Wait a moment,” Edward whispered. Philip nodded.
“You’re free today,” Edward said loudly.
Lexcom slowly turned back to face him.
“You’ve been in slavery. The Rescuer has broken your chains.” Edward gestured at the crystal dragon’s body, then let silence linger between them for a moment. Lexcom was looking at him, his face still unreadable.
“Turn to him. Embrace the Rescuer before you are enslaved again,” William said softly.
Lexcom’s eyes flicked over to William. “It’s too late for me,” he said slowly. He sounded dejected. Confused.
“He set me free after a decade of bondage to idolatry and anger and revenge,” Milda said. “He can free you as well. It’s never too late.”
Lexcom seemed to ponder this. For a moment, his grip tightened on his staff and Edward braced himself for an attack, but then the grip relaxed again. At last, Lexcom stepped aside, giving a sweeping gesture. “Just go.”
“Just like that?” William asked, looking at the cavern opening.
“Just go,” Lexcom repeated, then turned and stomped away.
Edward watched him shuffle off among the smoking ruins. Overlord, save him. Turn his heart to you.
“Let’s get out of here,” Philip said. “He needs time to process. Maybe we haven’t seen the last of him.”
Find sick looking tree
Went to horse camp. Rested. Everyone still sick and throwing up when they eat. Horses commenting that they stink. Smell like smoke and orc, covered in blood and gore and soot and ash. Suggest bathing in runoff from mountains.
Find one orc hunting- Bill and Regulus overwhelm it. Party bathes and cleans up as best they can.
Shalosh the 27th.
Storm day. Stay hunkered down. Still Sick. Pray. New horses for Cenbald and Milda. Helbald becomes Cenbald’s mount. Milda gets a small horse named Hony.
Arba the 28th.
Still sick. Weak from hunger.
Options considered: rumours of healer at fishing village, maybe new Keledan convert on farm can help them. Maybe Lord Gifue’s manor. Maybe just continue with mission as best they can?
Pray. Bird comes. Talks of hills.
Skunk leading way. Skunk knows where to find hollow hills.
Grims. Turns out Milda has lode stone that she picked up at the Water Troll bridge. Tries to help them rebuild their stables. Edward climbs rope ladder and fights grims. Others offer battle prayer. After battle, Edward is no longer sick. Team discovers they can be healed from their sicknesses with certain battle prayers. They decide to hunt for more dark creatures.
Goblin. Goblin attempts to jump Philip. Philip healed, including his broken leg.
Golden calf. Attempts to enchant with idolatry to worship trees (Edward enchanted. Starflower counsels). Milda and Cenbald attack. Others offer prayer. Cenbald healed. Starflower moves in. Starflower healed. William moves in. Milda healed. William healed. Philip charges in and attacks, slaying the beast.
Eat double meal.
The skunk stopped at the top of the ridge. Philip’s eyebrows furrowed together. “What is it?” he asked, as his horse crested the slope. But he could see the answer for himself. There was a crowd of people in the depression on this side of hill.
“It’s him,” Philip said as the others reined in on either side of him.
“Who?” Edward asked.
“That Selfoe that we met earlier. He’s got a whole crowd of disciples, now.”
“We can’t just kill him, there’s got to be a hundred people here,” Starflower said.
“Hey, I know some of those people,” Cenbald put in. “Those are townsfolk from Hawold. I can see my neighbour.”
“A war of words, then?” Edward suggested.
Philip nodded.
“Shall we?” Starflower asked.
Philip clucked his tongue and Johny moved forward down the slope towards the Selfoe and his audience. As they approached, they could hear the sermon the Selfoe was preaching.
“...and so, if we all live together in peace and harmony, we can reach that ultimate state of inner peace and enlightenment. We will realize that being peace makers is the only way to usher in the New Order. Not by violence. Not with wars.”
Philip had enough and rode up beside the Selfoe. “Don’t listen to this man!” he called out to the crowd.
“Behold the war makers!” the Selfoe cried out, projecting his voice down the slope to the crowd. “See how they come bearing weapons! All they bring is death and destruction! God is a God of peace! How can a God of peace condone violence? How can they know the way of truth when they follow the way of the sword?”
Philip dismounted, without knowing what he was doing. There was something about the way this Selfoe was talking. Something about what he was saying.
“The God of Peace is calling everyone everywhere to lay down their weapons and become peacemakers. And then we can all be saved! Everyone in this valley can gain paradise for themselves by laying down their weapons, here. We can make a huge bonfire of our violence as a sacrifice of peace. Only peacemakers have eternal life. War Makers will be eternally punished. Come, burn your tools of violence as a sacrifice to gain favour with the God of Peace!” The Selfoe pulled out his quarter-staff and tossed it on the ground in front of him. People started coming out of the crowd carrying weapons.
“Does that include fishing rods?” someone called out from the crowd as the pile at his feet mounted higher.
“Yes! The violence done to our aquatic friends is a tragedy that needs to end! Bring your fishing tools! Bring your hunting knives, bring your swords!” The Selfoe turned and looked Philip right in the eyes. Philip pulled out his battle axe and dropped it on the pile, just as Starflower dropped her bo-staff into the pile. Milda laid her sword down on top of Philip’s axe.
“That’s it! Once we have become peaceful on the outside, we can become peaceful on the inside, and the God of Peace will see it and we will be part of the New Order of Peace Makers! Find your life!”
Philip felt himself grabbed by the wrist and dragged away from the pile. He looked up, “Hey! I need to know more about inner peace!”
“We have peace, it’s one of the fruits of the spirit,” Cenbald said, “Snap out of it.”
“But, God is a God of peace, and we are war makers with our weapons. How many dark creatures have we killed today? Is not our guilt upon us?”
“I’m sure the Rescuer wants peace,” Starflower agreed.
“Listen to me,” William said. “It says in the Sacred Scrolls in Matthew 10:34:
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
“Uh... what?” Milda asked. “It really says that?”
“Yes,” William nodded, “and it keeps going:
“For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”
“This liar is telling us to find our life by working for inner peace,” Edward said. “But the scrolls say whoever finds their life will lose it.”
“It’s all a lie! We can’t save ourselves! You guys explained this to me,” Cenbald said.
Starflower shook her head. “Ergghh! Sin enchantments. Thank you for the rescue.”
Philip’s eyes narrowed. That Selfoe had enchanted him. He felt righteous anger, and his hatred of evil welling up. “Where’s my axe?” he snarled, turning back to the pile.
“Hold it, hold it,” Cenbald said, grabbing him by the shoulder. “Too many people, remember? What if we challenge him, Elijah style?”
“Elijah style?” Starflower asked. “You mean, like...?”
“Mount Carmel. Let the people decide who to believe.”
Starflower smiled. “Ah, I get what you’re saying.”
“My people!” Cenbald called out loudly, stepping away from the group and facing the crowd. “I am one of you. I am from Hawold, a son of a fisherman! But I have met the true Rescuer of our souls. This man is a liar! He is not preaching the true God to you!” This pronouncement caught several people’s attention and murmuring started in the crowd.
“See how the War Makers are causing division?” the Selfoe called out. “We must unite together in peace! Not sow doubts!”
“We have two opinions, here!” Starflower called out. “The so-called God of Peace with his New Order, or the Rescuer of our Souls. If the Rescuer is God, follow him. But if the God of Peace that this Selfoe preaches is god, then follow him.”
Philip gazed out over the crowd. Some people were murmuring and talking to the people beside them. Many looked confused.
“How are we to know?” Edward called out, prompting the crowd.
“Yeah, how are we to know?” some one called back. “Prove it!” another voice shouted.
Starflower smiled. “I propose a whirlwind contest. Let us each pray for a whirlwind. Whoever’s prayers are answered is telling the truth.” Starflower turned to the Selfoe. “That okay with you?”
The Selfoe grinned mischievously. “You have a deal!”
“We’ll even let you go first!” Cenbald said, gesturing magnanimously with his hand.
The Selfoe pulled out his bo-staff from the pile of weapons. He held the staff out vertically in front of him, glanced up at the sun, then licked a finger and held it up. Philip crossed his arms impatiently. The Selfoe closed his eyes, walked in a tight circle five times, then gave a mighty yell and drove his quarter staff into the ground. He then stepped back from the pole, lifted his face upwards and started chanting in some unknown language while lifting his hands to the sky.
Philip drummed his fingers on his arm. “Get on with it!” he jeered after several minutes of chanting.
“Shout louder!” Cenbald called out. “Maybe he can’t hear you!”
The Selfoe then started to dance, his hands and arms moving in gracious rhythms that no one else could hear. The volume of the chanting increased.
Suddenly, the Selfoe jumped, and landed in a crouch. He rose graciously to his feet, smiling at the crowd. “Behold the answer of the God of Peace!” he announced. He held out a hand to the people, turning his palm towards himself. He waved his other hand over it, and to Philip’s surprise, he suddenly held a pigeon. The pigeon took off from his hands, flew in two circles around the staff, then sailed up into the air. There were gasps of amazement from the people.
“See how the pigeon whirled around the pole, before taking off into the wind? This whirlwind of a pigeon is a sign of peace.”
“But where’d the bird come from?” a child’s voice cried out.
“From God himself, as a sign!” the Selfoe announced.
Philip scoffed loudly. “P-sha! Anyone can do sleight of hand like that. Okay, our turn.”
“The prayer has already been answered!” someone called out. The selfoe smirked at Philip. Philip glanced at his axe which was still in the pile of weapons. No, not yet. Timing was important.
“Edward?” Philip said.
Edward cleared his throat. “Rescuer. Overlord of Many Names. Make it known today that you are the true God and that we are your servants. Answer this WordRune prayer of ours:
Jeremiah 23:19
See, the storm of the LORD
Will burst out in wrath,
A whirlwind swirling down
On the heads of the wicked.
Jeremiah 23:19
“Amen!” Starflower and Milda called out.
The Selfoe looked at them and tapped his foot. A gust of wind ruffled the hem of his robe for a moment. The Selfoe raised an eyebrow as if to say “Is that all you’ve got?”
A second gust came in, stronger than the first. Philip smirked at the Selfoe, since he couldn’t feel the wind himself. It looked like the Overlord was targeting the dark creature alone. Philip took a giant step backwards, away from the Selfoe.
The wind was picking up speed. The Selfoe’s face fell into a look of concern.
“Worried?” Philip asked, taking another step back.
The wind continue to increase in intensity, and the sound picked up in strength. Within seconds, the wind was howling. The Selfoe glanced around, grabbing his make-shift pole just as his feet lifted off the ground. For a moment, the false prophet held on to the staff, like a flag flapping in the breeze, before he lost his grip and went flying into the sky.
Several people in the crowd gasped.
“Bye-bye, now,” William said.
They saw his body drop suddenly and land in the river further down the hill.
“Think he survived?” Philip asked.
“Doubt it,” William said.
“If he did, we’ll take him down,” Starflower vowed.
Philip stepped forward and retrieved his battle axe.
“Fellow residents of the Sanna Valley!” Philip turned and saw Cenbald addressing the crowd, who were now paying rapt attention to the team. “Let me tell you what the Rescuer has done for me!”
Over the next hour, Cenbald, followed by Milda and the others, all shared their testimonies and explained the Great Rescue to the people. Some left. Many stayed. Many came to faith, and they baptized about thirty new believers in the river. Others went away, talking with those who chose to believe.
Skunk leads them to set of four Hollow hills.
Team chooses NorthEast hill. They lose their bearings momentarily, but Edward, the Knight of the Way, realizes they are now in the northeast part of the valley.
They meet a sleepy looking traveller- tells them of missing bedding from Inn.
The team prays and feels that the Rescuer wants them to investigate the mystery at the Inn. They go to the Chalk Maul Inn. Sure enough, beds missing. They meet Raffin and Drobert, the owners. Cenbald and Philip try to impress them with their war trophies (water troll claws and crystal dragon claws). Raffin mentions he is divorced. Drobert comments about working as a merchant’s guard once.
Team orders supper. Overhear conversation about possible cave troll who lives in caves west of inn. Some patrons are playing chess. Cenbald and Philip stay up late and play a few games and visit, but learn nothing else of note.
During night, someone throws sleeping powder at their night watch, and steals their bed rolls. They awake, vowing to deal with the cave troll.
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